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Cradle to Cradle Certified

Cradle to Cradle Certified^CM is a product certification program that recognizes achievement across five interrelated quality categories, derived from the principles of cradle-to-cradle design. The certification includes criteria related to:

• Making products out of materials that are safe and healthful for humans and the environment;
• Designing products so all materials can be re-used by nature or industry, including reverse logistics systems;
• Assembling and manufacturing products with renewable, non polluting energy;
• Making products in ways that protect and enrich water supplies;
• Treating all the people involved in socially responsible ways.

Cradle to Cradle Certified is a certification mark that is licensed by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, for use on and in relation to, products that have been certified against the Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard.

History and Development

The Cradle to Cradle Certified program was developed by McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency (EPEA), and launched in June of 2005 at the Neocon conference, as a standardized approach to recognize companies that had worked to optimize their product designs according to the principles of cradle-to-cradle design.

The first product to be recognized as a Cradle to Cradle Certified product was the Think chair, manufactured by Steelcase, Inc., certified in 2005 by MBDC.

Cradle to Cradle product certification began as a proprietary system, administered by MBDC, but in 2012, administration of the certification program was turned over to an independent, non-profit entity, the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute

The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute (C2C PII) is a 501c3 non-profit organization, founded by William McDonough and Michael Braungart in 2010, initially established as the Green Products Innovation Institute, and based in San Francisco, CA. The Institute’s mission is to transform the making of things into a positive force for people, economy, and planet.

The Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard was licensed as a contribution to the C2C PII by McDonough and Braungart after 15 years of private development with many of the world’s top brands. The market’s desire for an independent review and issuance of certificates led to the transfer of the administration of the certification program to the C2C PII. In August of 2010, MBDC gave an exclusive license to C2C PII to operate the certification program, with the goal of making it more independent, transparent, and publicly available.

The decision to establish the organization in California was, in part, a response to the recent development of California’s Green Chemistry Initiative, a program that would establish new approaches to toxic substances in California commerce. The founding of the C2C PII was commended by the state of California’s Department of Toxic Substance Control and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and included such names as Brad Pitt, Robert Kennedy, Jr, Wendy Schmidt and Yves Behar among its Founders Circle. Initial funding for the C2C PII came from a grant from the DOEN Foundation in the Netherlands.

Within the C2C PII, ongoing development and improvement of the standard is governed by an independent Certification Standards Board, which is composed of leaders from academia, the NGO environmental community, government, and industry. Current members (as of September 2013) include: Mary Davidge, Maureen Gorsen, Adam Lowry, Paul Murray, Angela Nahikian, Jay Bolus, Christoph Semisch, Rudi Daelmans, and Gabe Wing.

The C2C PII also trains and accredits assessors who evaluate products on behalf of companies for compliance to the certification requirements. Assessments are submitted to the Institute for auditing and a certificate will be issued if the product meets the requirements for either BASIC, BRONZE, SILVER, GOLD, or PLATINUM levels of achievement.

The Certification Standard

The Cradle to Cradle Certification Standard (Version 3.0, implemented 1 January 2013), was developed by MBDC, in collaboration with EPEA, and given to the C2C PII for ongoing revision and development in November of 2012.

The certification mark identifies achievement in five key categories, including material health, material reutilization, use of renewable energy, water stewardship, and social fairness. Within each of these criteria, an achievement level is assigned, based on the demonstrated fulfillment of various requirements. An overall certification level is assigned based on the lowest level achieved in any individual category. The specific standard requirements, as well as the complete methodology for assessment of products is publicly available on the C2C PII website.

One key element of Cradle to Cradle certification is a requirement for continual improvement. Continual improvement with this systemic approach is intended to lead to innovative, high quality products that are continuously reusable in biological and technical nutrient cycles, and have been created using clean energy, clean water, and social fairness. The certification mark provides consumers, regulators, employees and industry peers with label that represents achievement in these categories, as well as a signal that the manufacturer is committed to continual improvement of their products.

Cradle to Cradle Certified products are certified at one of five different levels, Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each of these levels has different requirements, with Basic being the minimum level of achievement, meaning that the product has met the Basic level criteria, and the manufacturer has demonstrated an intention to optimize them over time. Each certification level increases the requirements that a product must meet, with Gold level indicating all materials have been assessed and determined by an Accredited Assessment Body to be appropriate (safe for people and planet) in the given application and designed for reutilization or decomposition, with a nutrient management strategy in place. Gold level products also must demonstrate use of 50 percent renewable energy, and 50 percent offset of on-site emissions associated with final manufacture (emissions offset requirements were added in the most recent revision to the standard, Version 3.0). A Gold level product must also meet water effluent standards and undergo a third party social standards audit. Platinum is considered the ideal Cradle to Cradle designed product. To date their have been no products certified at the Platinum level. The specific requirements for each level of certification are documented on the C2C PII website.

Certification Process

Getting a product certified involves working with a an Assessment Body that is accredited by the C2C PII. Accredited Assessment Bodies evaluate the materials used in a product, as well as it's manufacturing process. The outcomes of this assessment are provided to the C2C PII for certification. Products must be re-certified every two years, to assess continued compliance with the standard and ongoing optimization efforts (formerly, under version 2.1.1 of the product standard, this certification period had been one year). A list of currently accredited assessment bodies is maintained at the C2C PII website.

Certified Products

A list of currently certified products is maintained on the C2C PII Product Registry. Most product types are considered eligible for certification, with some exceptions, including food and beverages, weapons, and products containing rare/endangered species or chemicals on the programs 'Banned List of Chemicals'.

Many of the Cradle to Cradle Certified products are building materials and furnishings, but there are also many basic materials (such as plastics, alloys, and textiles) that have been certified, as well as cosmetics and cleaning products, and other household items.